Repercussion of natural silk fibers from spider and silkworms on the mechanical properties of composite materials

Costly synthetic fibers like kevlar, glass, and carbon lead to expensive production costs for products made from these materials, necessitating the development of alternate materials. As a more sustainable and affordable substitute for synthetic reinforcement materials like glass, carbon, and kevlar, natural fiber has gained popularity. Silk fiber obtained from spiders and silkworms is one type of natural fiber that has excellent mechanical properties such as tensile strength, tensile modulus, and breaking elongation. Its mechanical and biocompatibility characteristics are unmatched by those of other synthetic and natural fibers. This article discusses various silk fiber-related topics such as chemical composition, mechanical properties, and applications with respect to spiders and silkworms. Also, the requirement for silk fiber to be used as a reinforcement in composite materials is highlighted. Furthermore, the mechanical properties of silk fiber-reinforced composites (SFRCs) are also explored in this review. It is acceptable to draw the conclusion that the use of SFRCs in the creation of useful and possibly lucrative applications as novel materials in many industrial areas is inevitable.